(no subject)
Hello;
As some of you may be aware, I have taken back on the role of Moderator within the group Temple of the Winds.
For ease of recognition and a sense of continuity I am again using the name Methuselah, strictly in relation to the group, my activities outside ToTW within the Craft community remain completely separate, and the fact that my name within the wider community is different is in part symbolic of this.
So why am I posting here then?
Simple enough really, this is an open letter as such, more a question really;
It is written for many people, some will take offence, others will simple fob this off; but perhaps one or two will pause to think, perhaps some that this has no bearing on what so ever may find something of value also, some way that this applies to their own life.
Those who complain that Temple sucks, that is has nothing to offer, that is boring and a waste of time; those nameless five who have been referred to as having lost respect for the admin team and the group as a whole for choosing to draw on my experience to help move forward with the future;
To all of you I put a few simple questions
Where were you this last meeting past, knowing that there was much the admin team wished to discuss and gain input from the group on?
How about the meeting before, or the one before that?
I ask you this; how many activities did you organise off your own bat?
How much time did you volunteer to assist to make the group better?
How often did you bring something to the picnic to share?
How many questions did you ask on the board?
How many replies did you make to questions others asked?
Did you take the initiative and try to organise a workshop or guest speaker; not for your own personal glory or to say 'look I did something and no else did' but merely because you wanted to give something to the group?
or perhaps your time is too valuable,
So did you instead contribute financially, making a significant donation of money to the group to help pay for costs of a workshop, or to run a sausage sizzle?
Or did you simply complain that things were boring?
Did you just offer criticism without offering solutions or assistance?
Did you simply expect it to all happen?
Why would you imagine the admin team are any different to you; they have lives of their own, all the time they give to ToTW is volunteer, they get no pay, indeed they rarely get thanks; but they do it any way
And they do it because they want to give something to the group, to give of themselves without the expectation of reward
For all the complaints, about so called politics and power play, do you add to this by making melodramatic statements and dramatic gestures?
For all the complainants, all the criticism,
I ask you, no I challenge you
What are you going to do about it?
Complain, leave, criticise those who try
or will you try and make a difference
Beneath the LJ cut below is a poem called Ember or Flame, I feel it has some relevance
I would say but one more thing also, before commenting here, before emailing or posting on your own LJ or own a message board somewhere
before opening the river of flame, take just a moment to ask yourself, is it worth it?
If you think Temple is a write off, a waste of time; then just step quietly away, leave it for those who wish to give something to it.
If you think Temple has value, then do something real, don't bother emailing me or commenting or posting to say if you think if I am right or wrong; get up and actually do something, find a guest speaker, research a workshop, figure out how you could run a BBQ; heck just show up to a meeting with a plate of food to share and an opinion about whatever Crafty book you are reading at the moment.
Ember or Flame
by David Norris
Are you an ember
Are you a flame?
Do you stand strong
Or melt in the rain?
Are you a weak link
or part of the chain?
Are you the solution
Or part of the blame?
For we are the People
and we are the change.
Who should be watching
Protecting the earth?
Is the land sacred
Or just so much dirt?
Your sisters and brothers,
Who helps with their pain?
Are you part of the filling
Or part of the drain?
For we are the Power
and we are the change.
When modern-day Witches
Are put to the flame
Do you go for more kindling
Or shout down in shame?
Do you just hang out
When others are hanged?
Do you make a difference
Or just stay the same?
Are you part of the problem
Or part of the change?
For we are the People
We are the Power
We are the Change.
As some of you may be aware, I have taken back on the role of Moderator within the group Temple of the Winds.
For ease of recognition and a sense of continuity I am again using the name Methuselah, strictly in relation to the group, my activities outside ToTW within the Craft community remain completely separate, and the fact that my name within the wider community is different is in part symbolic of this.
So why am I posting here then?
Simple enough really, this is an open letter as such, more a question really;
It is written for many people, some will take offence, others will simple fob this off; but perhaps one or two will pause to think, perhaps some that this has no bearing on what so ever may find something of value also, some way that this applies to their own life.
Those who complain that Temple sucks, that is has nothing to offer, that is boring and a waste of time; those nameless five who have been referred to as having lost respect for the admin team and the group as a whole for choosing to draw on my experience to help move forward with the future;
To all of you I put a few simple questions
Where were you this last meeting past, knowing that there was much the admin team wished to discuss and gain input from the group on?
How about the meeting before, or the one before that?
I ask you this; how many activities did you organise off your own bat?
How much time did you volunteer to assist to make the group better?
How often did you bring something to the picnic to share?
How many questions did you ask on the board?
How many replies did you make to questions others asked?
Did you take the initiative and try to organise a workshop or guest speaker; not for your own personal glory or to say 'look I did something and no else did' but merely because you wanted to give something to the group?
or perhaps your time is too valuable,
So did you instead contribute financially, making a significant donation of money to the group to help pay for costs of a workshop, or to run a sausage sizzle?
Or did you simply complain that things were boring?
Did you just offer criticism without offering solutions or assistance?
Did you simply expect it to all happen?
Why would you imagine the admin team are any different to you; they have lives of their own, all the time they give to ToTW is volunteer, they get no pay, indeed they rarely get thanks; but they do it any way
And they do it because they want to give something to the group, to give of themselves without the expectation of reward
For all the complaints, about so called politics and power play, do you add to this by making melodramatic statements and dramatic gestures?
For all the complainants, all the criticism,
I ask you, no I challenge you
What are you going to do about it?
Complain, leave, criticise those who try
or will you try and make a difference
Beneath the LJ cut below is a poem called Ember or Flame, I feel it has some relevance
I would say but one more thing also, before commenting here, before emailing or posting on your own LJ or own a message board somewhere
before opening the river of flame, take just a moment to ask yourself, is it worth it?
If you think Temple is a write off, a waste of time; then just step quietly away, leave it for those who wish to give something to it.
If you think Temple has value, then do something real, don't bother emailing me or commenting or posting to say if you think if I am right or wrong; get up and actually do something, find a guest speaker, research a workshop, figure out how you could run a BBQ; heck just show up to a meeting with a plate of food to share and an opinion about whatever Crafty book you are reading at the moment.
Ember or Flame
by David Norris
Are you an ember
Are you a flame?
Do you stand strong
Or melt in the rain?
Are you a weak link
or part of the chain?
Are you the solution
Or part of the blame?
For we are the People
and we are the change.
Who should be watching
Protecting the earth?
Is the land sacred
Or just so much dirt?
Your sisters and brothers,
Who helps with their pain?
Are you part of the filling
Or part of the drain?
For we are the Power
and we are the change.
When modern-day Witches
Are put to the flame
Do you go for more kindling
Or shout down in shame?
Do you just hang out
When others are hanged?
Do you make a difference
Or just stay the same?
Are you part of the problem
Or part of the change?
For we are the People
We are the Power
We are the Change.